Want to learn theory

[Papageno]

Does anyone know a website or a computer program of anything I can learn some music theory from?  I want to learn about timing, tempos etc.

Thanks

[hornteacher]

The best is Practica Musica by Ars Nova software:

http://www.ars-nova.com/home.html

[Papageno]

I can't find it anywhere, upload yours to www.thepiratebay.org if it's not a problem, my violin goddess.

[Mozart]

www.teoria.com

I'll send you some books also.

[Papageno]

www.teoria.com

I'll send you some books also.

Thank you Elias, my beloved friend.

[Mozart]

I was looking just yesterday to see if there was a video to learn some basic music theory, but I couldn't find one. Do you guys think getting a little keyboard would help me learn music theory, by being able to play chords/scales and stuff? I think it would allow me to hear what I'm reading about which might help me connect the ideas together.

[Gustav]

http://musictheory.net/

[Ephemerid]

I was looking just yesterday to see if there was a video to learn some basic music theory, but I couldn't find one. Do you guys think getting a little keyboard would help me learn music theory, by being able to play chords/scales and stuff? I think it would allow me to hear what I'm reading about which might help me connect the ideas together.

Yes, I think that would be a VERY good idea-- a bit of ear training helps rather than just seeing a bunch of abstract notation-- you don't even need to be proficient at the piano or anything-- just something for your ears to get used to hearing. 

[btpaul674]

I believe keyboard skills are essential for learning theory. Many theory professors at universities would love to have aural training, keyboard harmony, and theory classes either in close conjunction or combined for musical training. Attempting to work on all three skills simultaneously would probably be the route, assuming we are talking about a non classroom setting.

I can also inquire to my close Theory Pedagogy friends.

[Mozart]

Do you have any suggestions to help me be able to identify the same note being played an octave higher. I'm horrible at it.

[johnQpublic]

Do you have any suggestions to help me be able to identify the same note being played an octave higher. I'm horrible at it.

Sing all the way up a scale and then jump down the octave to the first note then back to the top note. Repeat as needed.

[greg]

Does anyone know a website or a computer program of anything I can learn some music theory from?  I want to learn about timing, tempos etc.

Thanks

if you'd like, i do have Walter Piston's "Orchestration", "Harmony", and "Counterpoint" and Schoenberg's "The Fundamentals of Music."

but if those websites are enough, that's fine also. 

[(poco) Sforzando]

I'm dubious of any methods of instruction where there is no interaction between you and a well-informed live teacher. Rather than look for websites, books, and such, I would sooner recommend taking a college-level course that deals with the questions you're asking.

[Mozart]

When writing a key signature, how do you know when you use flats or sharps? For example I just wrote the notes to the E major scale
E, F#, G#, A, B, C#, D#, E

How do you write this at the start of the score? And how do you know to use sharp signs or flat signs?

[Gustav]

When writing a key signature, how do you know when you use flats or sharps? For example I just wrote the notes to the E major scale
E, F#, G#, A, B, C#, D#, E

How do you write this at the start of the score? And how do you know to use sharp signs or flat signs?

see, this is why you should enroll at a class somewhere, or seek a PROPER education. Sure, me, or anyone here who has any musical education can tell you the answer to your simple problem, but it's going to take ages before you ever learn anything substantial from us!

Hint:

look at the key signatures with one sharp and one flat, and one with 2 sharps and 2 flats, see a pattern?

[Mozart]

I would like to, but music theory is non existent in Tijuana Mexico. I'm trying to figure out the key signatures by playing them on an online keyboard and witting down the notes in them. But I'm not sure what to do after this. When is it that you call a key a sharp and when is it a flat? I think if I could answer this then I could do a key signature.

Also what exactly does Fb mean? I was looking at one of those websites and noticed Fb could be a key signature, but there is no Fb on a keyboard, just E and then F. It confused me.

[canninator]

I would like to, but music theory is non existent in Tijuana Mexico. I'm trying to figure out the key signatures by playing them on an online keyboard and witting down the notes in them. But I'm not sure what to do after this. When is it that you call a key a sharp and when is it a flat? I think if I could answer this then I could do a key signature.

Also what exactly does Fb mean? I was looking at one of those websites and noticed Fb could be a key signature, but there is no Fb on a keyboard, just E and then F. It confused me.

If there are no music theory teachers then there must be a piano teacher. The best way is to learn theory alongside an instrument. If that is not a possibility then I would recommend you start at the very bottom with "What to listen to in music" by Aaron Copland. From there move to the Associated Boards of the Royal School of Music (ABSRM) Theory books 1 and 2. The books are not perfect but they start from a zero knowledge base. From there you need to take a more in depth look at tonal harmony (texts by Aldwell or Kostka) and classical counterpoint (start with Fux, move onto Kennan) and orchestration (Adler). Anything beyond the ABSRM books might be tough without a teacher/instrument to play. If you just want the basics then the ABSRM books are ideal for you.

[rickardg]

Also what exactly does Fb mean? I was looking at one of those websites and noticed Fb could be a key signature, but there is no Fb on a keyboard, just E and then F. It confused me.

I think this link will answer this specific question
http://www.musictheory.net/lessons/html/id20_en.html

If you need a teacher depends on how serious you are. I'd say it's similar to learning a language, if you just want to be able to ask for directions and order at a restaurant then books and self-study will do, but it you want to speak fluently and write essays you need a teacher and a few years of hard work.

[greg]

Also what exactly does Fb mean? I was looking at one of those websites and noticed Fb could be a key signature, but there is no Fb on a keyboard, just E and then F. It confused me.

Fb! 
makes me laugh....... don't know why, just sounds like a silly note

If you need a teacher depends on how serious you are. I'd say it's similar to learning a language, if you just want to be able to ask for directions and order at a restaurant then books and self-study will do, but it you want to speak fluently and write essays you need a teacher and a few years of hard work.

ummmmmmm you don't really NEED a teacher for the above (or in addition, to play an instrument very well) although it never hurts.

[(poco) Sforzando]

Fb! 
makes me laugh....... don't know why, just sounds like a silly note

Why? perfectly normal note. E..L..I..A..S.. (and you) should be aware that any note can either be spelled as natural (F), or can be sharped, double-sharped, flatted, or double-flatted. What has to be gotten past is the notion that these spellings have to do with the layout of the piano keyboard. F double-sharp is identical on the piano with G, and F double-flat with the note Eb or D#. The reason for these spellings has to do with the melodic and harmonic implications of the pitches, not their position on the keyboard.